Nora: The Missing Piece
by EL Hyland
Summary: An old friend from Damon and Stefan's past shows up in Mystic Falls. Nora knew the Salvatore Brothers when they were human and was turned around the same time as them. She is the closest thing Damon has to a sister and is one of his best friends. She comes to help find the cure but brings a big secret from Stefan's path with her.
1. Chapter 1

Nora arrived in Mystic Falls early in the morning. The sun was just starting to come up as she drove through the quiet little town. It had been a long time since she had been here, so much had changed, but she still felt that coming home feeling that relaxes you. She pulled into the long driveway of the Salvatore Boarding House and parked in front of the garage. She was in no particular hurry, she wanted to see them but they had no idea she was coming. She had spent the last sixty years hiding in the shadows, dodging them and ignoring them. They had a falling out, as friends do, but being a vampire changes the typical friend relationship.

Nora grew up with the Salvatore Brothers in Mystic Falls and was turned around the same time they were. When the truth finally came out about the details of the night she was turned back in the 40s, Nora fled and they hadn't seen her since.

She had heard about everything going on over the last few years and she tried to stay out of it, tried not to care, tried not to want to help. Tried and failed. They needed her help and she wanted to help. It was time she came home and it was time to stop running.

She opened the door and slipped into the house. It was dark and quiet but Nora could hear people upstairs in the shower. She climbed the stairs and walked to the end of the hall, opening the door slowly. Her eyes scanned the room and she wasn't surprised to see everything was exactly the same way she had left it. She wouldn't be surprised if either of them had even stepped into the room since she had left.

She turned, distracted by the sound of the shower turning off and two voices coming from within the bathroom. She was a little shocked to hear Stefan, she had expected Damon. Shower sex was his thing, but she was even more surprised to hear the second voice. She speed into Stefan's bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed to wait for them. They came out wearing nothing but smiles and towels wrapped around them. Stefan was ahead, holding her hand and pulling her behind him. He was looking behind him so he didn't see Nora at first, but Rebekah did. She stopped, the smile fading from her face and stared at Nora sitting on the bed. Stefan followed her gaze and Nora was now met with two equal looks of shock.

"Hi," She smiled at them, loving every minute. "Well this is new."

"Nora," Rebekah said, completely speechless.

"Glad to see the dagger was removed from you, you're way too much fun to keep locked up," She turned to Stefan. "I'm guessing he agrees."

"Why are you here?" Rebekah asked as Stefan seemed lost in a trance just staring at Nora. "Stefan said you took off in the 40s."

"I got tired of running, I felt like coming home and apparently from what I hear, there is quite a bit to come home to."

"So you're staying?" Stefan finally spoke up. "For how long?"

"Oh, I don't know, I guess I'll see how things go."

"Does Damon know you're here?"

"Not yet, where is he?"

"He's at Elena's," Rebekah rolled her eyes and stepped farther into the room. "The Petrova Doppleganger, dead ringer for Katherine. She was first with Stefan and is now with Damon. Sound familiar?"

"Very," Nora nodded, turning to Stefan. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" He said harshly. "Are you kidding me? You vanish for sixty years without even a goodbye and then just show up expecting everything to be normal between us?"

"Well, we were never normal."

"Nora," Stefan exclaimed.

"Stefan, I needed some time but I told you I'd be back."

"Sixty years is some time? I didn't even know if you were alive!"

"Well I am." She said and then smiled at him. "Come on Stefan, you know you need my help."

Rebekah turned to Stefan. "We could really use her."

Stefan sighed. "Fine, but don't blame me when she takes off again."

He grabbed some clothes and left the room looking unhappy and hurt and maybe even a little angry. Rebekah watched him go for a few minutes before turning back to Nora. "He thought you were dead."

"He knew I wasn't dead," she shook her head. "Lexi used to come see me and I know she would report back to him."

"So what do you know?"

"Not enough I suppose," She sighed. "You better fill me in."

Rebekah explained the last few years to Nora in great detail. There was a lot she had missed and many details had been left out in the stories she had been told. It didn't take long for Nora to get on board with the plan and for once, she was someone that everyone could trust.

Stefan came back into the house and found them in the living room still talking. Nora assumed he went to hunt and blow off some steam as he now seemed more relaxed around her.

"I want to see Damon," Nora said. "Did you tell him I was here?"

Stefan shook his head. "No, you can do that yourself."

"I'll take you," Rebekah said as she grabbed her keys off the table. "Are you coming Stefan?"

"Yeah, I'll come." Nora smiled at him, a silent thank you. "Does she know Jeremy is a vampire hunter?"

"She knows everything, Stefan."

The car ride to the Gilbert house was rather silent. Stefan was being extra broody and was still trying to put up this act that he was angry. Nora knew he might still be a little upset with her but she didn't think he was really all that mad. She didn't stay mad when she left and she figured part of the reason he was giving her the cold shoulder was to show her how much she hurt him by leaving.

They pulled up to the house, climbed out of the car and walked up to the house. Stefan knocked once and then opened the door with Rebekah and Nora following. "Damon?"

"In here Stef," Damon called from the kitchen.

They walked down the hallway and into the kitchen to find Elena and Damon cooking. Thanks to Rebekah getting Stefan not to care, it no longer hurt him to see Elena so happy with Damon. Nora stood a few feet behind them so Damon hadn't seen her yet.

"Do you want breakfast?" Damon asked.

"No," Stefan said. "There's someone here to see you."

Stefan took a step into the kitchen so Nora could appear in the doorway. Damon was confused and was watching Stefan but his expression changed to shock when he saw her standing there. He was just as amazed as Stefan to see Nora, but without the anger. He didn't know if he would ever see her again but he was glad she was there.

"Nora," He said softly before crossing the room and wrapping her in his arms. She hugged him back, squeezing her arms tightly around his neck. He put her down and looked at her with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been hearing a lot of talk about a cure." She said. "Rebekah filled me in and I think I could help."

"Yeah of course, we could use the help." He smiled and hugged her again. "It's good to have you home."

"Damon," Elena interrupted. "What's going on?"

"Oh, this is Nora," Damon gestured. "Nora this is Elena."

"Nice to meet you," Nora nodded and turned to Rebekah. "That's freaky."

"What's freaky?" Elena asked.

"How much you look like Katherine." Nora stated simply.

"Elena's brother is a new vampire hunter," Damon said to Nora.

"I know, and I think I can help you with that."

"You can?" Stefan asked surprised, finally speaking up.

"Can we talk?" She looked at both brothers. "Just the three of us?"

Damon nodded and turned to Elena. "We'll be back."

They left the house and Elena tried to listen to their conversation but she sighed in frustration when she heard the car start. "Who is Nora?" She finally asked Rebekah, annoyed that no one was telling her anything.

"Nora is like Damon's Lexi."

"Oh," Elena relaxed. "So she's he's best friend."

Rebekah nodded and then smirked. "And she's also Stefan's wife."


	2. Chapter 2

Damon drove back to the house with Stefan sitting shotgun and Nora behind him. He noticed the silence and could feel the tension between the two of them. He watched Stefan stare out the window with a clenched jaw and a brooding scowl. He looked into the rear view mirror to see Nora watching Stefan with a slight frown and a worry in her eyes.

He pulled into the laneway and they climbed out of the car. Damon was last inside and he couldn't take the silence any longer. Stefan and Nora stood at opposite sides of the couch, letting Damon stand between them.

"What the hell is going on?" he finally asked looking from one to the other. "Stefan?" He said after another minute of silence.

"Ask her."

"I'm asking you." Damon said.

"He's mad I never tried to contact you over the years."

"Well get over it," Damon poured himself a drink, eyeing Stefan. "We've all had our fair share of disappearances."

"I never came back acting like nothing happened."

"Are you seriously mad at me?" Nora was beginning to get angry. "I watched you go crazy in the twenties. I begged you to stop and I threatened to leave. You told me to go."

"That was in the twenties! I was the ripper, I shut off my humanity. Yeah, I told you to go, but you stayed and then you left twenty years later after I got better."

"After you went to war," she corrected. "I spent my whole life waiting for you. I watched you become the ripper over and over. I watched you fall in love with Katherine and Rebekah. I watched Lexi help you get your humanity back." Tears had pooled in her eyes. "You never needed me Stefan."

"That's not true."

"It is," She nodded. "I spent all those years by your side hoping to one day have the Stefan I remembered back. But that day never happened and I got tired of waiting."

"I'm sorry," Stefan said. "Nora, I did need you."

"It's true." Damon spoke up. "Every time Lexi brought him back from ripper days, she did it with your memory. Katherine compelled him and his humanity was turned off when he was with Rebekah."

"I know but my point was that Stefan, you have left me many times over the years so you can't get mad at me for doing the same thing. Or you at least can't hold a grudge against me."

Stefan nodded. "Okay, fair enough."

"Maybe you should try marriage counselling," Damon smirked. "Are you still married?"

"Technically, I guess we are." Nora smiled.

"Only when it's convenient, remember?" Stefan smiled back.

"Alright," Damon interrupted. "What did you need to tell us Nora?"

"Oh right," she said. "The vampire hunter, I helped train one when I was in Europe a few decades ago. He was killed and we could never find another one."

"Who's we?" Stefan frowned.

Nora smirked. "You don't think you're the only ones that know about the cure or are trying to find it, do you?"

ELENA AND REBEKAH

Elena was in shock as she stared at Rebekah. She shook her head. "Stefan's what?"

"His wife." Rebekah said slowly.

"He never mentioned her before, Damon didn't either." She frowned. "How do you know her?"

"I met her in the twenties when I was with Nick during Stefan's ripper stage." She smiled. "They weren't exactly together at that time but we all had a great time. We became pretty good friends even though I was in love with her husband."

"How long have they been married?"

"A very long time, since they were turned." Rebekah sighed when Elena gave her confused look. "Why don't you ask Damon for all the lovely details, I'm sure he'd love to tell you."

"Why is she here?"

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough," Rebekah turned to leave but suddenly stopped and turned around to face Elena. "And you might want to get that jealous look off your face before you ask him."

"I'm not jealous."

Rebekah smirked. "Look, if you think Stefan loved you more than anyone, you're wrong. He loved me too and although he won't admit it, he probably loved Katherine too, but Nora," Rebekah shook her head. "No one comes close to how much he loved her, not even all of us combined."

Rebekah left the house just as Damon was strolling in. He nodded at her before continuing down the hallway to find Elena. She was sitting at the table looking confused, angry and hurt all at the same time. Damon sighed and sat down beside her.

"Alright," he said. "What do you want to know?"

"Who is she?" Elena said. "Rebekah said she's Stefan's wife?"

Damon nodded. "Yeah, technically they are married."

"I don't understand." Elena shook her head. "When were they married? How do you know her?"

"We grew up with Nora in Mystic Falls when we were all human. She lived down the road from us. Our fathers were friends and two of the richest men in the town. They wanted Stefan and Nora together since they were young but they didn't have to force it. They were good friends and then when the time came, more than friends. They were supposed to be married the following summer when they turned eighteen, but Katherine showed up. After everything happened and Stefan realized Katherine had compelled him, he went to Nora to explain. But being a new vampire and having heightened emotions that were all over the place, he wanted to turn her. She refused, saying he wasn't the same but she got sick and we turned her to save her. They were married and then Stefan went off the deep end and she left with me. But Nora always went back to him in hopes of finding the human Stefan she had fallen in love with and she did, from time to time."

"Why did she leave?"

Damon sighed. "We lied to her about how she was turned. She was so sick she slipped into a coma. She was going to die and Stefan demanded we do something. We gave her blood but it didn't work, she didn't get any better. So Stefan, being his out of control self at the time, killed her so that she would turn and live forever. She woke up and we told her we gave her blood to heal her, it didn't work and she died anyway but came back as a vampire."

"So she found out in the 40s and left?"

"Pretty much," Damon nodded. "Lexi let it slip while Stefan was at war learning control, he came home, they had a big fight and she took off."

"Why have you never mentioned her?"

"For Stefan, I think it was just too painful for him and he still feels guilty."

"And you?" Elena pushed. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

Damon shrugged. "She never really came up and I didn't see the point in telling you about her. She's my best friend, Elena. Probably the only friend I have but she's family, so don't worry."

"I'm not worried."

Damon smirked. "Well then you're jealous and you don't have to be. She's basically my little sister."

"I trust you," Elena nodded. "But Stefan never mentioned he was married the whole time we were together, it's hard to take in."

"Well if you're over him, life you claim to be," he said. "It shouldn't matter and it also shouldn't bother you that Stefan and Rebekah are shacking up."

"It doesn't, it's just shocking." She tried to brush the feeling off, but she was jealous. She may not want to be with Stefan but she didn't want him with anyone else either. She knew it and Damon knew it too.

STEFAN AND NORA

"So you and Rebekah, huh?" Nora asked sitting on the couch with Stefan. They were sitting at opposite ends, she had her legs stretched out in front of her and he was angled towards her with his arm slung over the back of the couch.

"No feelings, just sex." He explained.

"Vampire or human, that never works." Nora shook her head. "And Elena, were you in love with her?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, I was."

"Real love?"

Stefan looked at her. "Why? Are you jealous?"

Nora gave him a look of fake shock. "Not really, just curious."

"I loved her, she was the first person I loved since," Stefan grinned. "Well you, I guess."

"You forgot Rebekah," Nora nodded. "And Katherine."

"Katherine doesn't count, she compelled me."

"Fine, but Rebekah counts."

"Elena was different though," Stefan said. "I can't explain it. You were my first real love, human and vampire. Rebekah was like the wild adventure love that fit into the reckless lifestyle I was living but Elena, Elena was – "

"Different," Nora finished. "Yeah, I get it."

"Does it bother you?" he asked.

Nora frowned. "Stefan, we aren't exactly a model couple. We've been apart more than we've been together. We've cheated on each other, hurt each other, lied to each other. And through it all, I still love you and I probably always will but I understand that eternity is a long time and sometimes we need space and other people will come into our lives during that time."

Stefan nodded and then smirked. "So every hundred years, we'll take a sixty year break?"

Nora grinned at him. "Not funny."


	3. Chapter 3

Damon arrived home to a quiet house. He had spent the whole day trying to explain Nora to Elena and he was exhausted. He wasn't sure if his friendship with Nora bothered Elena or if it was the fact that she was Stefan's wife. He figured he didn't really want to know the answer because he was pretty sure he wouldn't like it.

Stefan was out, probably with Rebekah again. Damon wondered how long that was going to last and if he even really cared. He cared more about Elena's reaction to the news of Stefan with someone else. He didn't want it to bother him, but it did.

He wondered how Nora felt about everything. He easily answered that question when he entered his bedroom to find her reading one of Stefan's journals on his bed. She was wearing a deep frown and she didn't even look up when he walked in.

He sighed. "You have your own room."

"Your bed is more comfortable." She mumbled. "So he really loved her then?"

"Who?" Damon began changing, peeling off his shirt and throwing it into the corner.

"Elena," she confirmed. "He actually loved her."

"Yeah," Damon frowned, sitting down beside her. "He did."

"Now you love her." She put the journal down. "And Stefan is with Rebekah."

"If it bothers you, tell him." He said simply. "You say you're okay with casual and being friends but we both know you aren't. You left because you couldn't stand to see him with someone else."

"What if I did?" She sighed and rolled over onto her back. "Maybe I shouldn't have come back."

"There's a reason he's still married to you." Damon pulled her into a sitting position. "I remember when he told me he wanted to marry you. He was fifteen and he said he loved you more than anything. I believed him. You and me, we are literally the links to his past and his humanity. But he married you when he was a vampire, and when he was the ripper Lexi used your letters to bring him back. So don't think that he doesn't want you to be with you."

"You're going soft." Nora smiled. "But thank you."

Damon smirked. "Don't run off again, okay?"

"Why? Did you miss me?"

"Yeah Nora, I missed you." He said sincerely. "And you aren't going to listen, but I think you need to tell Stefan what you want."

She sighed. "I love him, I'll always love him. But what if we really are better as just casual?"

Damon shrugged. "I think the two of you need to have an actual conversation about it all."

"Oh yeah, you are in love." Nora smirked. "I like when you're being nice Damon, reminds me of the good old days."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness,"

"My silence for ignorance or my calmness for acceptance," Nora finished. "I love that quote."

"You love all quotes, you're a book nerd." Damon said as he finished changing and was now standing in front of her. "Let's go have some fun. You need to stop mopping around the house."

"What do you have in mind?"

"There's this place called the Grill, local hangout." Damon explained. "Good food and a big bar."

"Oh, I love bars." Nora said as she followed Damon down the stairs, jumping on his back. "Maybe I can get a job bartending?"

"First of all, you are seventeen and secondly, you have a job, it's helping us with the cure." He piggybacked her out to the car before putting her down outside the passenger side door.

"First of all," Nora said in a mockingly tone. "I have a fake I.D. and this thing you might have heard of, it's called compulsion."

"Smart ass," He mumbled as they got into the car and began driving. "Let's just drink and talk, catch up."

"So play human?"

Damon smirked. "For now, let's just see how the night goes."

Nora walked into the Grill and was surprised that she actually liked the vibe and the environment. There was music, pool tables and as Damon pointed out, a pretty big bar. There was a pretty big crowd of people there and Nora noticed a few looks being thrown her way.

"Typical small town," She said, only low enough that Damon would hear. "Look at the new one."

"Come on, I'll get you a drink." Damon said, leading her towards the bar.

"What did you want to talk about?" Nora asked once their drinks were placed in front of them and they were seated at a booth.

"Where have you been the last sixty years?" Damon jumped right into it. "With who and doing what?"

"It's a long story Damon," Nora shook her head. "I thought we were supposed to be having fun?"

"We will but first I want to know where you've been all these years."

"So you're the new one everyone is talking about," Caroline suddenly interrupted.

Damon sighed. "Caroline, Nora, Nora Caroline."

"Nice to meet you," She said, sitting in the booth beside Damon. "So are you really married to Stefan?"

"Who is this?" Nora asked Damon.

"She's one of us, turned by Katherine about a year ago. One of Elena's best friends, Stefan and her are besties sometimes too." Damon said with mock excitement.

"Same old Mystic Falls I see," Nora nodded. "Yes, I'm Stefan's wife."

"Are you actually married? Or was it a human thing and now you're not sure if it counts?"

"Why do you care?" Damon interrupted. "They were married when they were vampires, does it matter?"

"Well Elena is freaking out so yeah, it matters. Besides, apparently she is going to help us right? So I would like to get to know her."

"Wow, okay." Nora said. "I'm Nora, I'm seventeen, Damon and Stefan were my neighbours when we were human, I married Stefan after we turned, I haven't been around in sixty years. There you are all caught up. You can go now and report back to your little friends."

"One more question," Caroline said.

Nora sighed. "Fine, go ahead."

"Do you love Stefan? Because if you do you should really get him away from Rebekah."

"Rebekah and Nora are friends, Caroline." Damon said.

"What?" She exclaimed. "She's evil and horrible and she is sleeping with your husband. You can't let her get away with that."

"I've known you for all of two minutes. You don't get to weigh in on my life." Nora snapped. "Stefan and I have a complicated relationship and it is private. So you baby vamps and your little witch can stay out of it." Nora said, referring to Elena and Bonnie who were standing on the other side of the Grill.

"Caroline, leave." Damon said. "And take them home with you."

Nora watched as Caroline left with the other girls before turning back to Damon. "This is not fun."

"Who are you running from?" Damon asked his voice softer.

"What are you talking about?" She tried to sound confused, but had failed.

"Why did you really come home?" He pushed. "What happened?"

"Damon, I don't want to get into it." She looked away.

He reached out and grabbed her hand until she looked at him. "I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"You can't help, period." Nora pulled her hand out of his grasp and got up to leave.

"Nora," He said, grabbing her arm, surprised when she winced in pain. The amount of pressure he applied wouldn't even hurt a human, let alone a vampire. He made eye contact with her for a moment before she ripped her arm out his grasp again and left the Grill in a hurry.

Damon followed her out and caught up to her at his car. "Let me see."

"Damon, don't." Nora said but she let Damon grab her arm and lift up her sleeve to reveal the bite that was spreading up her arm. "I came to say goodbye."

**A/N: Nora doesn't know about Klaus and the cure for wolf bites just yet. Please review and let me know what you think! **


	4. Chapter 4

"Stefan, it's Nora, she's in trouble," Damon said into the phone. "Get home now and bring Rebekah with you."

Nora sat on the couch in the living room and watched Damon pace back and forth in front of her. He had called Stefan at least five times between the Grill and home but he hadn't answered yet. "Damon."

"No," Damon looked at her as he continued to pace. "Do not tell me it's okay or that you're fine or you're at peace with it or whatever else was about to come out of your mouth."

"I was going to tell you to stop pacing," She said with a smile. "You're making me nervous."

"Don't do that." He said, stopping in front of her. "Don't down play this."

"Damon," She said again. "I'm going to die, so please just spend my last few days with me as the Damon I remember."

"You are not going to die." He said, dialling Stefan again. "Damn it Stefan! Answer your phone." He growled into the voicemail again.

"A werewolf bit me." She said again, hoping it would sink in for him like it had for her. "They're fatal to vampires."

"There is a cure," Damon growled again. "I was bit last year and I'm not dead."

"What?" Nora said with a frown.

"You know about Klaus being a hybrid right?" She nodded. "His blood cures the bite. "

"And you didn't think to tell me this an hour ago?"

"I've been trying to find Stefan so he can get you the blood. He got it for me." Damon said through gritted teeth as he continued to pace. "Klaus hates us all though so he isn't going to want to do us a favour. Stefan had to become the ripper again to get his blood for me. But you aren't going to die. If I have attack Klaus or trick him or offer up myself to save you, I will."

"Damon, you can't – "

"I can and I will!" Damon yelled at her. "You should have never left. You should have been here all along so I could protect you. Whatever you have been doing for the past sixty years isn't hiding is it? You know about the cure, you were training a hunter, and apparently you've made some wolf enemies."

"Damon just calm down, okay?" She said, standing up in front of him.

"It is far from okay, Nora!" He yelled again. "What were you going to do? Hide it and pretend everything was okay and wait until you were days from death before telling us?"

"Not exactly." Nora said with hesitation.

Damon watched her reaction and he sighed. "You were going to leave again." He gave an unhappy laugh as he shook his head. "You are unbelievable."

"It's better if I just leave and you hate me than to watch me die."

"I could never hate you and you are not going to die." He snapped again. "I'm going to get you that cure if it kills me, which is probably will."

"Can you please just stop." She said with a sigh. "I'm scared Damon. That's why I came home. I needed you and Stefan. So please, just stop yelling and talking about offering yourself up and just hug me and whether I get cured or I die, tell me everything will be okay."

Damon sighed before pulling her into his embrace. "Everything will be okay, Nora." He said, not sure he believed it, but hoping it would be true. They separated just as Stefan burst through the door and came running into the living room. Rebekah wasn't far behind, she had a look associated more with curiosity but Stefan looked worried.

"What happened?" He said, confused when he saw Nora looked completely fine. "You said she was in trouble?"

"Show him." Damon said quietly. "Show him why you came home."

Nora sighed. "Don't freak out okay?" He nodded and she rolled up her sleeve, showing off the bite. Stefan's eyes widened and his heart raced when he saw it. Cure or not, seeing a werewolf bite on a vampire was like hearing a human had cancer.

He crossed the room, taking her arm in his hands and looked at the bite with a deep frown. Rebekah stepped further into the room but kept a safe distance. Nora was her friend, but Damon and Stefan were her family.

"When, how did this happen?" Stefan whispered, looking at her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't," Nora shook her head. "I couldn't tell you I was dying."

"There's a cure, Damon was bit last year."

Nora nodded. "He told me but you can't ask him."

"Yes I can." Stefan said confidently. "I will not let you die."

"Stefan – "

"No, Nora." He cut her off. "I can't lose you, I just got you back."

Nora nodded, letting him take over. She wasn't one for needing protecting, but it was nice to have the comfort of knowing that she had people that would die for her. Part of the reason she came back was because she needed her family. Damon and Stefan were her family. Damon, the brother she never had. Stefan, the greatest love of her life.

"I'll talk to him," Rebekah said, finally speaking up. "You were like family once. He loved you once."

"Klaus is a vindictive man, Rebekah." Damon said. "He hates us all."

"Maybe, but if it was me, he wouldn't let me die."

"You are his sister." Damon argued.

"Exactly. His humanity is there, it's buried deep inside of him, but it is there." She nodded. "I'll make him listen, but let me talk to him first."

"He's going to want something." Stefan said.

"Just let me talk to him, alone." She pushed. "I'll call you right after I do."

Stefan nodded. "Okay."

"Rebekah," Nora called. "Thank you."

Rebekah gave a nod and smiled before leaving the house at vampire speed. Damon resumed his pacing, this time with a glass of scotch in his hand. Stefan sat with Nora on the couch, his arm wrapped around her and pulled her tightly to his body.

Damon's phone rang again and he ignored it, again. Elena had been calling all night and Damon wasn't sure if it was because she was mad he was out with Nora earlier or if she had overheard their conversation about the bite in the parking lot. Either way, Damon didn't feel like talking to her.

His phone rang again and Nora sighed. "Just talk to her, she probably wants to see you."

Damon ignored the call once again. "I'm not leaving you."

"Then invite her over." Nora said. "Anything to get her to stop calling."

Stefan's phone rang, Damon stopped dead and Nora's head snapped over. She sighed when she saw the caller I.D. "Caroline." Stefan said into the phone as Damon rolled his eyes and continued to pace. "I'm at home, so is Damon and Nora. We have a bit of a situation here." He paused looking at both of them. "Caroline, tell Elena to just leave it alone."

Nora sighed and pulled the phone out of his hand. "Caroline, it's Nora."

"Hi Nora," she said awkwardly.

"I'm assuming Elena can hear me so listen up because I'm only going to say this once." Nora paused. "I got bit by a werewolf. Damon isn't answering your calls because he is working on wearing a hole through the living room floor. We are waiting to hear back from Rebekah who is talking to Klaus. If you want to come over and wait with us, I don't care, but if you give me one dirty look or make a snarky comment or try to kill me, I will put you in the ground, permanently."

"Okay, fair enough." Caroline said. "We will be over soon."

"Great." Nora handed the phone back to Stefan who was looking at her with a raised brow. "What?"

"Little harsh, don't you think?"

"No," She scoffed. "She is beyond jealous and is super whiny. I'm the one who is dying, I don't want to listen to her problems."

"You aren't dying." Damon said firmly. "I don't want to hear that again."

Nora rolled her eyes and sighed. "I still don't want to listen to her make everything about her. How do you guys put up with that?"

Stefan shrugged. "Not my problem anymore."

"You get used to it," Damon smirked.

Nora grinned and adjusted herself so she was literally lying in Stefan's arms. He supported her upper half, his arms wrapped protectively around her and she stretched her legs out in front of her. He smiled at her and she returned it.

Their brief moment was interrupted by Caroline and Elena coming through the door and into the room. Elena went straight to Damon, falling into his arms and attempting to comfort him. Caroline sat on arm rest of the couch at the other end and smiled at Stefan and Nora.

"Are you okay?" Elena said to Damon.

"I'm fine Elena." He said angrily, not at her, but the situation.

Elena nodded and turned to see Nora and Stefan cuddled up together on the couch. She tried to smile at him, but it was easy to see the pain in her eyes. The pain and jealousy of seeing him with someone else. He nodded at her and she pressed her mouth into a thin line as she nodded back.

"How are you feeling, Nora?" Elena asked.

"Oh just peachy," She said before catching Stefan's gaze and turning her head to Elena. "I'm fine."

Elena nodded. "That's good, right?"

"She's lying." Damon said. "She's in pain."

The room fell silent for a few minutes before Caroline spoke up. "Do you want me to talk to Klaus?"

"No," Stefan and Damon said together.

"Rebekah can handle it." Stefan added.

"And if she can't?" Caroline asked. "I can get through to him."

"It's true," Elena nodded. "Klaus is in love with her."

"Really?" Nora said, suddenly becoming interested. "Klaus in actual love? Not using you for anything?"

Caroline shrugged. "I've seen his good side and he saved me, remember?"

"Let's just let Rebekah handle it." Stefan said. "The more people we send over to him, the more he'll realize that we'll do anything. We can't play into his games."

"We will if it means saving her." Damon said, pointing at Nora.

"We want him to save her because he wants to, not because he's going to get something from us."

"Wake up, Stefan. This is Klaus. He only does favours if he gets something in return." Damon snapped.

"Okay just stop." Nora said. "Let's just wait to hear from Rebekah, okay?"

Damon looked at her pleading eyes and nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you," She said, sitting up. "I think I'm going to go to bed. Wake me up when Rebekah calls."

"Sleep in my room," Damon said as she walked towards the stairs. "I don't want you out of my sight."

"Damon, I'll be fine." She smiled and climbed the stairs.

Damon turned to Stefan. "Go with her."

Stefan rolled his eyes but followed Nora up the stairs. Vampire or not, he could hear that she wasn't in her room. He opened the bathroom door and slipped inside. She was standing in her bra looking at the bite that had consumed her lower arm and was now traveling up her upper arm. Stefan watched her try to hold it together as she stared at herself in the mirror. She turned when she saw him, tears in her eyes, and he pulled her into his embrace.

"I'm scared," She whispered. "Stefan, I'm so scared."

"I know," Stefan pulled her back. "But I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Stefan was lying in Damon's bed next to Nora watching her stare at the ceiling. He wanted to give her space without leaving her alone so he was going to stay with her until she wanted to talk. Damon was still downstairs with Elena and Caroline. Elena was still asking Damon general questions about Nora but she did it subtly. Stefan knew she was trying to distract him and keep him calm until they heard back from Rebekah. They started to argue again and Nora let out a sigh, she had been listening to them too .

"He's never going to make it through this." She mumbled.

Stefan frowned, shaking the thought out of his head. "Klaus will help you."

"And if he doesn't?" She turned and they made eye contact. "You can't watch me die."

"I won't have to." Stefan said firmly.

"Be realistic, Stefan."

He was silent for a few minutes, studying her and remembering the night she left, before speaking softly. "How did you do it? How did you leave me?"

"How did you leave me?" She countered, giving him a pointed look.

"You didn't." Stefan sighed and shook his head. "You turned it off."

"It worked for you." Nora smiled weakly.

"Can you tell me where you were all these years, what you were doing?"

Nora sighed. "Why won't you and Damon let that go?"

"Because I know you." He said. "You were either running for something or from someone and if you turned your humanity off, it can't be good."

"I thought you'd be better off without me."

"What gave you that thought?" He frowned again, typical Stefan brooding look clouding his face.

"Come on, Stefan." She bit her lip, something she did when she was trying to figure out how to say something that was hard. "We were in love when we were human. We got married when we were baby vamps with heightened emotions and an eternity to live out. Forever is a really long time when you're immortal."

"You thought I didn't want to be married?"

"Did you?" She asked. "I wanted you to have the time to think about what you really wanted."

"You wanted me to miss you." Stefan confirmed. "Well, I did."

Nora smiled and moved to cuddle into his embrace. "I missed you too." She said as he wrapped strong arms around her. "You're my best friend Stefan, if nothing else, you'll always be that."

"I thought Damon was your best friend?" Stefan smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"He is, but I can have more than one." She paused before continuing. "You had Lexi."

Stefan sighed. "I sure miss her."

"Caroline reminds me of her."

Stefan smiled. "I know."

As if on cue, Caroline came storming into the room from downstairs. "I can't listen to them anymore. They are having the same fight over and over. Elena won't stop asking about Nora, Damon gets annoyed at her questions, then she starts to comfort him but it's Damon! He hates emotions and all he wants to do is drink scotch and break glasses in the fire."

She sighed and flopped down on the end of the bed. Nora smiled as her and Stefan broke a part and sat up. "I like you, not so much a fan of Elena though."

Caroline rolled onto her stomach and laughed. "Usually people reverse that."

Nora snorted. "That is hard to believe."

"Elena is a good person." Caroline tried defending her friend. "She's been through a lot."

"Everyone has a story and everyone has gone through a hard time." Nora said simply. "I don't like people that use crap they have been through to make people feel sorry for them."

"Fair enough," Caroline nodded. "But she is one of my friends."

"Yes I know," She smiled. "As Rebekah is one of mine."

"That I will never understand." Caroline turned to Stefan. "What are you thinking?"

Stefan sighed. "No matter what I tell you, you aren't going to agree."

"No feelings, just sex." Nora answered for him.

"Oh, that never works Stefan."

"That's what I said!" Nora said with a laugh.

"Can we not talk about my sex life?"

"Better than talking about my impending death." Nora said with a grin as she nudged Stefan.

"You are not dying." Stefan said again. "I will say that until you believe it."

"It's true, if it's one thing the Salvatore brothers are good at, it's saving a girl they both love." Caroline said nodding. "Which by the way, I'm still pretty shocked about. How could you never tell us you were married? And I don't mean you were married years ago, you are still married."

Stefan shrugged. "I had no idea where she was and it just didn't come up."

"It's too hard," Nora said. "We've had our fair share of ups and downs."

She looked to Stefan, who met her gaze. "Yeah, but we'll always be here for each other."

Nora nodded with a smile. "Of course."

"Aw," Caroline grinned. "You two are just so cute. Way cuter than you and Rebekah."

Nora laughed and Stefan rolled his eyes. "You really don't like us together."

"Nope and can you blame me?"

"Caroline take Elena home." Damon said, walking into his room. They had actually been having a good time that they didn't notice him or hear him approaching the room. "She's downstairs waiting for you."

"Okay," Caroline got off the bed. "See you guys later."

"Bye Caroline." Nora smiled.

"I'll call you when I hear from Rebekah." Stefan said as she nodded and walked out of the room.

Damon stood still in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest until he heard the front door close. "Are you okay?"

Nora smiled. "I'm fine, Damon."

"I can see right through you," Damon snapped. "So again, are you okay?"

Nora rolled her eyes and sighed. "I feel like I have the flu and my arm hurts but yeah, I'm okay."

"Thank you," Damon said. "You should get some sleep."

"I don't think any of us are going to sleep much tonight." Nora said. "But I am a bit tired."

"Yeah that happens," Damon said. "I'm not leaving you so I'll sleep in a chair or something in your room."

"No, I'll stay in here, with both of you." Nora looked from one brother to the other. "I don't like admitting it but I'm scared and I need you both. It's why I came home, but don't say I told you so, Damon. Just be here for me."

Damon nodded and climbed into the bed on the other side of Nora. "That son of bitch better cure you."

Nora couldn't help but start laughing, causing Stefan and Damon to join in. "I forgot how much I missed that laugh." Stefan said.

"I want to know how you got bit." Damon said, refusing to let her laugh get to him or to break down. "If you won't tell us where you've been or what you've been doing, you at least owe us that much."

Nora sighed and crawled out of the middle of the bed. She stood at the end of it and watched the two brothers sit up and give her questioning looks. "What are you doing?" That was Stefan.

"I need to be at least this far away from you when I tell you the story."

"Oh, I don't like where this is going." Damon groaned and ran a hand over his eyes.

"Okay, I was with Katherine -"

"WHAT!" Stefan and Damon bellowed at the same time.

Nora stuck her hand out to keep them from getting off the bed. "Listen," she urged. "I ran into her when I was in Spain when our hunter went down."

"What do you mean, "our" hunter?" Stefan said.

"She was working with the same people I was."

"You were working with her?" Damon said through clenched teeth. "Are you insane?"

"I wasn't working with her, not at first." Nora explained. "I came across this group of vampires and witches that was looking for the cure back in the sixties. They wanted to get it so they could destroy it but finding a hunter was rare, and finding one that would trust us was almost impossible. We finally found one that would work with us about a year ago."

"Let me guess, Katherine found him." Damon sighed.

"No she killed him." Nora said. "She came begging for help and claimed to know of another hunter. We went and checked it out, turned out he was a hunter and got him on board."

"So how did you get bit?" Stefan said frowning as he tried to follow the story.

"He took off when he found out that Katherine didn't want to destroy it." Nora sighed. "Three of us went with her to find him but we ran into a pack of wolves in Colorado. Katherine knew them so she got away with the hunter, they killed the other two and I barely got away."

"She set you up." Damon said slowly as she nodded. "What a bitch."

"So you came here?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah, I didn't know what else to do." She confessed. "I was already here and I couldn't go back empty handed."

"So you are running." Damon shook his head. "Damn it."

"They want their hunter, I don't have him and I don't have Katherine. All I have is this," She said, gesturing towards her arm.

"Are they coming after you?" Stefan asked with worry.

"I don't know," Nora said honestly. "Maybe."

"We'll deal with the vampire witch cult once you're healed." Damon said firmly. "I'm tired of waiting. Stefan, call Rebekah."

**A/N: At this point I'm not sure how much I will follow the show. But regardless, these chapters take place a few episodes ago. I will probably do a chapter on the island adventure and all that soon though. Please review and if you have any ideas, let me know! **


	6. Chapter 6

Klaus walked into the living room of the Salvatore house with Rebekah several hours later. As intrigued as he was at Nora's return, he was in no rush to save her. He never wanted to look too interested or let himself show that he cared. He liked Nora and his curiosity won out when he finally gave in to Rebekah's constant nagging.

Nora was someone special. Everyone that met her liked her, felt a connection and couldn't help but care for her. For Klaus, it was a combination of her dedication to a husband that barely acknowledged her. He admired her patience and her belief in his humanity. They shared a moment back in the twenties and he still remembered it to this day.

Nora meant a lot to Rebekah and to Damon and to Stefan. So as much as he did want to help her, he knew they would do anything to save her, which mean they would owe him. Klaus was never really sure why he was so ruthless. He partly figured it was because he liked controlling things and people, and this was a situation completely in his control.

"Where is she?" Klaus asked when he stepped into the living room to find Damon and Stefan waiting for him.

"You don't get to see her." Damon said. "Not until you hand me a vile of your blood and she has taken it."

"That's not how it works and you know it." Klaus said as he shook his head. "I like to see my investments before I agree to invest. If you want me to save her, I want to talk to her."

"Always with the threats and the dramatics," Nora said from the bottom of the stairs. "Nice to see you haven't changed a bit."

Klaus turned and looked at her. She stood in black pants, a grey V-neck long sleeve and her wavy hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Darling," He nodded. "You look horrible."

She smirked. "And it's only going to get worse."

"Enough small talk," Damon said. "Cure her."

"Why should I?" Klaus turned to face him. "She means nothing to me and everything to you."

"She means nothing to you?" Stefan finally spoke up. "You slept with her in the twenties."

Klaus shrugged. "I've slept with many women, Stefan. She was sad that night, you were with Rebekah and I was in the right place at the right time. She was nothing more than a little fun."

"Is that why you helped her leave me in the forties?" Stefan said as he crossed his arms and stepped closer. "She meant nothing to you, but you trusted her to find the cure and train a hunter all these years?" Klaus stared him down before turning to Nora. "Oh no, she didn't tell me. I figured it out on my own and it wasn't hard. So considering you're the reason she ended up in this mess, the least you could do is save her for helping you."

"I get to talk to her," Klaus said. "Alone."

"No." Damon said firmly.

"Damon," Nora called.

"No." He repeated.

"I talk to her alone," Klaus said. "Or I walk out of this house and she dies."

Stefan turned to Damon, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, she'll be fine."

Damon continued to glare at Klaus for another minute before taking a breath and walking away. He gave Nora a look before exiting the house with Stefan and Rebekah. Nora watched them go before she walked into the living room. She put her hands on the back of the couch, making sure to keep him on the other side of it.

"What the hell happened?" He asked.

"What do you think?" She said. "You let Katherine help and she screwed us over. She killed the hunter, found another one but then led us right into a trap when we came here to get him."

"Where are the others?"

"Dead." She said. "I barely got away and honestly, I think I only did because she wanted to make sure I'd get back here to tell you."

"Well it's doesn't matter now." Klaus said as he tossed her a vile of his blood. "You owe me, sweetheart."

"No, I don't owe you. This," She said as she held up the vile. "You owed me this. Now we're even and I'm done."

"I say when we're done." Klaus said as he approached her. "I'll be in touch."

Nora clenched the vile in her hand as he disappeared. It only took a few seconds for Damon and Stefan to reappear in the living room. She figured Rebekah must have followed Klaus home and left earlier. She held up the vile and watched them visibly relax.

"How did you know?" She asked Stefan.

"I didn't." He said. "I guessed."

"What the hell is going on Nora?" Damon demanded. "First Katherine, now Klaus?"

She sighed. "It's a long story."

"Drink that," Damon said. "Then we'll talk."

He left the room and they heard the front door slam moments later. "Well he's mad. He's probably going to hate me."

"No he won't. " Stefan said, shaking his head. "He's worried about you. So am I."

"I'm fine," She smiled. "Or at least I will be."

Nora drank the vile of the blood and sat down on the couch with Stefan. He stretched out and she moved so that she was lying between him and the couch with her head on his chest. He threw a blanket over them as she traced various shapes on his chest with her finger. It was something she did when she was nervous. He put his arms around her and watched her for a few minutes.

"Did you agree to work with him to get him to leave me alone?" He asked.

She stopped tracing shapes for a brief moment. "Not exactly."

"I don't understand why you would work for him or with him or whatever."

She sighed and hugged him, snuggling closer. "You turned your humanity off, then Lexi turned it back on and then you left for war. It had been over twenty years of me standing in your shadow and when I found out how I actually turned, I snapped. I was so miserable, Stefan. I was completely and utterly alone and I realized that I never wanted this life."

"So you began to resent me." He concluded.

"Pretty much, yeah." She said. "I left first and Klaus found me when I was France after I had already turned my emotions off. It was a deal and an adventure and I had nothing else to do, so I agreed to help."

"When did your emotions get turned back on?"

"I turned them on twice before," She said slowly. "The first time, it was after I did some horrible things. Lexi came to visit and she gave me some of your letters but I couldn't deal so I turned them back off. Then Katherine showed up and the anger I felt towards her turned them back on but I couldn't do the job with them on so I turned them off again. Then I got bit and they've been on ever since."

"So you've basically had them off since 1945," Stefan said as she nodded.

"I would have been back a lot sooner if I had the humanity switch on."

"That makes me feel better about all of this." He said softly.

"Do you ever wish we just got to live out that human life we planned?" She asked. "We could have had that big wedding in that little white church with everyone in town. Lived down the road from our parents in a big house. You would have worked with your Dad and been on the council. I would have been a housewife that went to tea and made quilts. We would have had children and grandchildren, grown old together and we would have been happy."

Stefan smiled as he listened to her. "Born, raised, lived and died in Mystic Falls. Our whole life would have been in this town. Sometimes I do wish we would have had that life."

"When this first happened I thought it will be great," She said. "We'll live forever and we'll get to be together and we'll always be young and beautiful."

Stefan smirked. "I think you would have been beautiful at any age, at least to me."

She smiled. "I really was ready to die."

"No you weren't." He said. "And if it you were, I wasn't ready to let you go."

She turned her head to look at him. "It's been a long time since we've been those two kids crazy in love, ready to take on the world."

"Maybe it's time we go back to being them." He said. "We're both here, with our humanity on and our thirst under control. We're more like the people we used to be before all this."

"It's been a long time since those two people we're together." She said.

"Good thing we're frozen in time," He said as he quoted her. "Always young and beautiful."

**A/N: Sorry for that longgggg break. I'm probably going to time jump through all the episodes until Elena turns off her humanity. I'm not going to really follow the show too well, if at all. Review and let me know if you're still interested in this story!**


End file.
